Prospect: Adult Swim On TruTV UK?

TruTV will launch in the UK tomorrow (4th August 2014) on Freeview (Digital Terrestrial Television) and Sky, it is Turner Broadcasting System’s third attempt of launching a general entertainment channel in the UK after Nuts TV closed in 2009 and when the short-lived general entertainment version of TNT closed in 2000. TruTV will feature reality TV shows such as Hardcore Pawn Chicago, Fear Factor and the jewel of its programming crown, the talk show Conan with Conan O’Brien.

As TruTV is a Turner property and is for general entertainment purposes, a suitable question to ask would be “Is there is a possibility of Adult Swim shows airing on TruTV?”. At the moment the answer seems to be no. Adult Swim shows first broadcast in the UK on CNX, which was a channel operated by Cartoon Network and targeted towards older teens and adults, after CNX closed and became Toonami, Adult Swim shows eventually moved to Bravo, then FX, then finally TCM 2, which sadly closed last year.

The other question that could also be asked is “Why can’t Cartoon Network UK air Adult Swim?”, the answer is that they can’t, they would get fined or have their Ofcom licence revoked, the Ofcom Broadcasting Code states that programmes aimed at adults can not be aired on a channel when there is likelihood of a child watching, which means unlike general entertainment channels, there is no 9pm watershed for channels aimed at children.

I would love to see Robot Chicken, Aqua Teen Hunger Force back on UK TV screens again alongside new shows such as Rick and Morty, and as TruTV is on Freeview, Adult Swim could potentially be a national success, a lot of people I know watched Robot Chicken: Star Wars and are aware of Robot Chicken through cultural references in Family Guy. It’s such a shame that Cartoon Network USA invested time and money into these shows and they don’t get international distribution.

I’m not saying that Adult Swim should takeover the whole night schedule of TruTV UK, a couple of nights a week would be a nice feature and Conan could also join the programming block.

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